Hey Poznan!

The trial in one of Greater Poland’s most disturbing criminal cases began this week in Poznań, shedding light on the abduction and assault of a teenage boy and raising a question authorities have yet to address.

According to the District Prosecutor’s Office in Poznań, on April 13, 2025, a 16-year-old boy was forced into a car on Kolejowa Street and driven away against his will. He was threatened and robbed, and later taken to a riverside area near Nabrzeżna Street, where prosecutors say further violence occurred.

The incident was not random. Investigators determined that the boy had been lured by people he knew — a teenage girl and her 18-year-old friend — who were allegedly cooperating with the perpetrators.

Four men aged 43, 37, 36, and 17 are now on trial, facing charges including kidnapping, extortion, and attempted sexual assault. The prosecution describes the organizer as the girl’s 43-year-old father, who claimed his daughter had previously been harmed by the kidnapped teenager and decided to take matters into his own hands.

In court, several defendants denied intending to seriously harm the boy, saying the goal was intimidation. One accused accepted a suspended prison sentence and 10,000 złoty in compensation, while another reached a 5,000 złoty settlement with the victim.

The girl involved will appear before the Juvenile Court.

The Question That Remains

The defendants have repeatedly stated that their actions were motivated by an allegation that the kidnapped boy had earlier harmed the girl. However, there is no publicly available information confirming whether that allegation led to formal charges, an investigation, or any legal outcome.

As the court now examines responsibility for the kidnapping, one issue remains unresolved:

What happened to the case that started it all?

For now, that question remains unanswered. And if it was true, then should they walk free?